Abstract: A system and method for automatically controlling a vehicle speed to a desired cruise speed are disclosed in which whether after any one of command and release signals is outputted from the corresponding set/cruise, acceleration, resume, brake, clutch, and cancel switches, a control unit outputs a corresponding receipt signal via a corresponding output port is determined, whether the contents of the control command signals presently outputting through the respective control valves are equal to inverted levels at the respective control valve is determined, and a power supply to control valves for adjusting an operating variable of an engine driving force adjusting mechanism and the control unit is interrupted when at least one of the results of determinations indicates a negative result.

Abstract: An air-fuel ratio control system for controlling the air-fuel ratio of air-fuel mixture to be inducted into an automotive engine in order to accomplish feedback control of the air-fuel ratio into a stoichiometric level of feedforward control of the air-fuel ratio into a lean level. The air-fuel ratio control system is comprised of a control unit which is electrically connected to an oxygen sensor for detecting the air-fuel ratio and to a variety of sensors for detecting engine operating condition. The control unit is adapted to calculate an air-fuel ratio correction coefficient in accordance with the detected air-fuel ratio. The feedback control of the air-fuel ratio is accomplished in accordance with the air-fuel ratio correction coefficient. The control unit is further adapted to form a plurality of learning areas defined respectively by engine operating conditions. Learning is made in each learning area. At least a part of each learning area is under the feedback control.

Abstract: A vibration damper includes first and second electrode bodies which are operatively connected with a vibrating body and a base, respectively and which are immersed in a rheopetic fluid. The relative velocity and displacement between the body and the base are determined and used to control the voltage applied across the electrode bodies in manner wherein when the relative displacement and velocity are out of phase, a high voltage is applied to electrodes to induce a high damping force and as the period wherein the two parameters go in phase is approchaed, the voltage is continuously reduced to reduce the damping force.

Abstract: A system and method for automatically controlling a vehicle speed to a desired cruising speed are disclosed in which an abrupt deceleration time for which the vehicle is abruptly decelerated to the vehicle speed at a time when an off operation of an acceleration switch in a cruise command switch group is carried out after an on operation of the acceleration switch to carry out a constant deceleration of the vehicle is calculated from the total duration of time for which the actuator is controlled so that the vehicle speed increases at a constant rate. Therefore, no need to adjust the abrupt deceleration time according to the individual vehicles in which the systems are mounted. In addition, since the actuator is rendered in the abrupt deceleration state within the appropriate duration of time, road conditions, or a speed range in which the vehicle cruises does not affect the performance of the system.

Abstract: An actively controlled suspension system includes a hydraulic circuit connecting a pressure source unit to a pressure control valve unit which controls working fluid pressure in a working chamber of a hydraulic cylinder serving as principle component of a suspension system for supporting a vehicle body on a suspension member. The hydraulic circuit includes a supply line for supplying a pressurized fluid to the pressure control valve and a drain line for draining the pressurized fluid from the pressure control valve. A one-way check valve is disposed between the pressure source and the pressure control valve for presenting surge flow of the working fluid from the pressure control valve unit to the pressure source. An operational one-way check valve is disposed in the drain line for preventing surge flow from the pressure source to the pressure control valve unit.

Abstract: An apparatus for use with a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine including a plurality of fuel injectors, each being operable in its open position for injecting fuel into an intake port with which an intake valve is in cooperation for regulating the entry of combustion ingredients into the corresponding cylinder. The apparatus includes a control circuit for operating the fuel injectors in a predetermined sequence. The control circuit determines a length of time one fuel injector to be operated is in its open position in response to selected engine operating conditions. The control circuit opens the one fuel injector at a time to terminate the determined time length substantially at the same time when the corresponding intake valve opens. In addition, the control circuit prolongs the determined time length in response to a demand for engine acceleration produced when the one fuel injector is in its open position.

Abstract: A hydraulic circuit for an actively controlled suspension system employs first and second pressure relief valves disposed in a hydraulic pressure source circuit for relieving excessive pressure. The second pressure relief valve is provided a lower relief pressure than that of the first pressure relief valve. Means for selectively connecting and disconnecting the second pressure relief valve is disposed in the hydraulic pressure source circuit at an orientation upstream of the second pressure relief valve. The means is positioned at shut-off position to disconnect the second pressure relief valve when a vehicle traveling speed is higher than a predetermined speed. The means is responsive to the vehicle speed lower than the predetermined speed for establishing connection between a pressurized fluid source to the second relief valve for relieving the pressure at lower level than that established when the vehicle speed is higher than the predetermined speed.

Abstract: An actively controlled suspension system arranges a pressure control valve so arranged as to longitudinally direct a valve bore in which a movable valve spool for establishing and blocking fluid communication between a fluid pressure source and a working chamber in a hydraulic cylinder, is disposed. The longitudinal force to be exerted on the vehicle body is smaller in comparison with the lateral and vertical force. Therefore, a force of spring for restricting movement of the valve spool can be minimized.

Abstract: An actively controlled suspension system is provided with a fluid pressure device provided between a vehicle body and a suspension member for suspending the vehicle body on the suspension member. The fluid pressure member is variable at least one of damping characteristics and spring characteristics in linear fashion depending upon relative displacement of the vehicle body and the suspension member in bounding and rebounding directions.

Abstract: Cleaning of gums, sludge and other adhering on a fuel injection valve in a fuel injection internal combustion engine can be done by driving of engine with a cleaning agent as a mixture of gasoline and an aromatic solvent. The mixture is adjusted the mixture rate thereof to satisfactorily combustion in an engine cylinder and dissolve gums, sludge and other adherings on the fuel injection valve. The cleaning agent is supplied to the engine cylinder through the fuel injection valve and during passing through the fuel injection valve it dissolves the adherings.

Abstract: A suspension system for an automotive vehicle employs a active suspension control feature for actively controlling the suspension characteristics according to the vehicle driving condition. Active suspension control is performed by adjusting offset of a gravity center for adjusting load distribution at respective vehicular wheels. The load distribution is adjusted so that the suspension characteristics can be changed to over-steer characteristics when the vehicle speed demand is higher than a given level so as to allow drift of the vehicle at a corner. In order to assure driving stability, the suspension system is further adjusted to suppress vehicular rolling during drift of the vehicle.

Abstract: An actively controlled suspension system which successfully prevents a vehicular height from abruptly changing even when failure of a vertical acceleration occurs. The actively controlled suspension system introduces a technology in performing suspension control, such as bouncing control, to shape a vehicular attitude indicative sensor signal, such as vertical acceleration indicative signal by slicing the sensor signal level at a predetermined slice level. In view of suppression of abrupt change of vehicular height at any vehicular driving condition, the slice level introduced in the present invention, is variable depending upon a vehicle speed.

Abstract: A fail safe system for a cylinder pressure sensor is used for a spark ignition timing control system which calculates a physical quantity for combustion energy within the combustion chamber of an engine cylinder of an internal combustion engine and corrects the spark ignition timing on the basis of the physical quantity. The fail safe system sets a running average of a statistical dispersion of the physical quantity to a predetermined greater value when a specific driving condition, i.e. a high engine load and high engine speed condition is initially determined, and thereafter compares the running average with a predetermined value when the specific driving condition is detected again to detect abnormality of the cylinder pressure sensor.

Abstract: A system and method for automatically controlling a vehicle speed to a desired vehicle speed in which, when a set switch is operated, a vehicle speed V.sub.1 at the time of the predetermined set storage unit of microcomputer and a limit vehicle speed switch operation is stored in a vehicle speed V.sub.alpha is set which is lower than the stored vehicle speed by a predetermined value alpha (V.sub.alpha =V.sub.1 -alpha, alpha>0). The limit vehicle speed v.sub.alpha is a criterion of determining if a second initialize control should be executed. The second initialize control is such that an acceleration command signal is intermittently outputted to a throttle actuator until the deceleration of the vehicle becomes below a constant rate upon detection of a change rate of the vehicle speed after a first initialize control in which the acceleration command signal is outputted for a predetermined period of time upon receipt of a cruise command signal from a command switch.

Abstract: An air conditioner system includes rear vent and foot nozzles to discharge conditioning air therefrom against occupants of the rear seats in the vehicular cabin. This system also includes a door which selectively opens and closes the rear vent and foot nozzles. This system allows conditioning air to be discharged from the rear vent nozzle when a manually operable switch is on. The conditioning air is discharged from the rear foot nozzle when the switch is OFF while the front discharge mode is set as VENT mode.

Abstract: An automotive suspension system can provide higher response characteristics in height adjustment. The height control system detects occurrence of vehicular load change, such as boarding and unboarding of passenger or passengers. The system also detects variation of vehicular height output of a predetermined range. When the vehicular height variation to be output of the predetermined range is detected at the occurrence of the load change, the system becomes active to temporarily adjust the vehicular height according to a preset schedule and maintains the vehicular height at adjusted position for a given period of time.

Abstract: A system and method for controlling a fuel injection quantity for an internal combustion engine are disclosed in which upon start of the engine acceleration, a quantity corresponding to an air quantity sucked into an engine cylinder (for example, a pressure in an intake air passage downstream of a throttle valve) is detected, an indicated mean effective pressure (P.sub.i) is detected, gains and phases of both detected values are matched with each other, respectively, so that an expected value of the indicated mean effective pressure is derived from the detected value of the air quantity corresponding quantity, a deviation between the expected value and detected value of the indicated mean effective pressure is derived, a correction quantity for a basic injection quantity at the time of an acceleration of a vehicle through the engine is derived on the basis of the deviation, and a fuel injection quantity outputted from a fuel injection valve is determined on the basis of the corrected fuel injection quantity.

Abstract: A mounting assembly comprises a rigid bracket having an essentially U-shaped portion and an elastic plate, the tip of which is fixed to the tip of the bracket. A guide rail of a passive seat belt system is inserted into a space between the inner surface of the shaped portion and the elastic plate to be secured to a vehicle body by a bolt.

Abstract: A method of producing a fiber reinforced metal composition is characterized by a unique and successful pressure exerting program for consolidating a fiber assembly fabricated into a desired configuration and a molten metal matrix. The program is generally constituted a first step in which relatively low pressure is exerted on the molten metal for consolidation of the fiber assembly and the molten metal and a second step in which pressure is instantly increased to a maximum pressure for solidification of the metal matrix.

Abstract: An optical position sensor employs two pairs of light emitting elements and photo sensing elements. Each pair of the light emitting element and the photo sensing element are arranged in a spaced apart relationship with the other pair in a direction of movement of the moving object. The distance between the pairs of the light emitting elements and the photo sensing elements substantially corresponds to the length of the moving object.